CB Channels used in Canada

I recently had the pleasure of delivering a few loads to Canada and noticed the CB was real quiet until a driver told me that East of Quebec I should use Channel 1. How about West of Quebec and other areas in Canada?

In Ontario, English speakers run 19. I sometimes find French speakers on 12, but I don't really go looking for them. The East Indian drivers are on 7 (a.k.a. the "multicultural channel"), especially in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area). I've never been able to find Eastern European drivers riding any specific channel.

In Quebec, English speakers are on 19 from the Ontario border to Montreal. East of Montreal and into the east coast (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador), English speakers usually gravitate to channel 1. If you hear French on channel 1, it's New Brunswickers switching between languages (New Brunswick's the only truly bilingual province in Canada).

On the west coast, it's channel 1 from the Pacific Ocean to Kamloops/Kelowna area (about half-way across BC). East of Kamloops, most drivers turn to 19 (I say most, some remain on 1 till Alberta).

Often pick-ups with CBs run 16, especially in my area. Channel 16's a pun on 4x4 drive trains (4x4=16).

As you've noticed, this is strictly a Canadian trend. If you're in the Maritimes and cross into Maine, immediately switch back to 19. Why the east and west coast areas run channel 1 is a question that I can't get answered. I sometimes think it might have something to do with reception in coastal areas, but don't have any science to back it up. My best guess is that it's just an arbitrary regional trend, like running 19. I'm told CBers used to have dedicated channels for certain highways, and even north/south lanes used to run different channels than east/west lanes.

PS: Since you're running Quebec, I'll throw this into this thread just in case: if you're running Quebec and get stopped by a scale attendant with an attitude who refuses to speak English to you, here's some advice: Canada has two official languages, English and French. Any individual is entitled under the human rights code in Canada to receive correspondence from the Canadian government and any of its branches in the official language of their preference, either English of French. Since the scale attendant is a government representative of the ministry of transportation, they must abide by your request to receive communication in the language of your preference, presumably English. State that you are entitled to receive communication from the government in the language of your preference, state that your preferred language is English, and if they refuse to comply by either speaking English or getting a translator, take their officer number, time, date, location of the scale house, and ask to speak to their supervisor about filing a human rights violation (and don't bluff here, mean it). This is a serious offense for a government official and your complaint will be successful.

With regards to CB radios, if you are going to run north of Edmonton, in Alberta or in mid to northern BC, the Yukon or NWT you will find CB's deathly quiet. Nobody uses them. most of us don't even have them...I don't. We all use VHF radios. Most of us then run on LADD1 or LADD2. Scales in the Yukon & BC usually use LADD2, & In Alberta & NWT LADD1.